Remote control caging and uncaging system for gyros



June 1950 R. T. MAIORANY ErAL" 2,940,

REMOTE CONTROL CAGING AND UNCAGING SYSTEM FOR GYROS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1956 FIG. 1

INVENTORS ROBERT 7.' MA/ORANY VERNON R. K/MBALL R. T. MAIORANY ErAL 2,940,319

June 14, 1960 REMOTE CONTROL CAGING AND UNCAGING SYSTEM FOR GYROS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1956 FIG. 2

v INVENTORS ROBERT 7. IVA/ORAN) VERNON R. K/MBALL United States Patent Ofice Patented June 14, 1960 REMOTE CONTROL CAGING AND UNCAGING SYSTEM FOR GYROS Robert T. Maiorany, Teaneck, and Vernon Kimball, Maywood, N.J., assignors to Bendix Aviation Corpo= ration, Teterboro, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 28, 1956, Ser. No. 587,836

1 Claim. (Cl. 74-51) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gyroscope caging mechanism of a type such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,350,769, granted June 6, 1944 to Vernon R. Kimball and assigned to Bendix Aviation Corporation, assignee of the present application. More particularly, it is concerned with a remote control gyro caging and uncaging system of a novel and improved nature having many desirable advantages.

A feature of the invention is motor drive means for operating the caging system, which may be controlled from a remotely located control box, together with novel means selectively operable to uncage the gyro.

Another feature of the invention is signal means serving to indicate the caged or uncaged condition of the gyro.

A further feature is the speed at which the system is operable from a remote control position.

The invention further lies in the particular construction and arrangement of its various component parts, as well as in their cooperative association with one another to efiect the purposes and advantages intended. The foregong and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. '1 is a schematic showing of a gyro caging system embodying the invention and showing it in its caged position; and

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of the control circuit in an uncaged condition.

In describing the invention in further detail, reference is now directed to the drawings wherein there is shown a bearing case 1 for a gyro having a vertical spin axis 1A. The bearing case 1 has further provided a pitch axis defined by trunnions 2 pivoted in the arms of an outer gimbal 3, and a roll axis defined by trunnions 4 pivoted in a proper housing support 5.

Pivoted across the arms of the outer gimbal in parallel relation to the pitch axis is a cross rod 6. On one end of the latter is fixed an arm 7 having a roller 8 at its free end, which is engageable for camming action with a cardioid cam 9 fixed on a pitch axis trunnion 2. A well 10 in the cam is adapted to receive the roller when the cam is rotated by the latter and reaches a caged position. Fixed on the opposite end of cross rod 6 is a short arm 11, the free end of which normally overhangs a recess 12 in a cardioid cam 13 carried by a trunnion 4 of the roll axis. A torsion spring 14 is normally acting upon the cross rod, whereby roller 8 is raised free of cam 9 and the arm 11 is raised high at the mouth of recess of cam 13.

Pivotally supported in housing framework 15 is a cross shaft 16 disposed in parallel relation to the gyro roll axis.

On an end of shaft 16 is carried a two-armed bellcrank lever17. The free end of an arm 18 of the latter carries a roller 19 which is engageable for camming action with the peripheral surface of cam 13. Action of roller 19 against cam 13 actuates the latter to level'the outer gimbal 3 on its roll axis; the latter condition being reached upon the roller 19 entering the locking recess 12.

In a caging operation, the gyro is caged first upon its roll axis. As roller 19 is caused to enter recess 12, it engages the surface of arm 11 and presses the latter down into the recess. Continued descent of the roller into the recess acts through arm 11 to pivot cross rod 6 counterclockwise. This causes a camming action of roller 8 on the pitch axis cam 9, and subsequent engagement of the roller in the cam well as the cam reaches the caged position.

Latching mechanism, generally indicated at 20, is caused to lock the position of the camming elements as the fully caged position is reached. To this end, there is carried at an end of the bellcrank cross shaft a latch arm 21, the free end of which is engageable beneath a shoulder 22 of a catch lever 23. A torsion spring 24 normally holds shaft 16 pivoted in a clockwise direction wherein the roller 19 of bellcrank arm 18 is raised free of the surface of cam 13, and the latch arm 21 is raised free of the shoulder 22. In its normal unlatched position the free end 25 of arm 21 abuts the back 26 of catch piece 23, the latter in its unlatched condition being pivoted on its shaft 27 in a counterclockwise direction where it limits its back against the free end 25 of latch arm 21.

The arrangement is such, that as cross shaft 16 pivots counterclockwise in a caging operation, the free end of arm 21 moves progressively down the back of the catch piece 23 and is caught beneath shoulder 22 as the caging operation is completed, as in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to uncage the system, energization of a relay 28 pulls down one end of a pivoted flipper 29. This causes the other end of the flipper, which underlies a projection 30 of catch piece 23, to pivot the latter clockwise. The latter action effects a release of the latching elements 23 and 21, whereupon bellcrank 17 restores under action of torsion spring 24 and, as a consequence, roller arm 7 restores under action of spring 14.

A non-conductive disc member 31 carried by shaft 16 rotates with the latter, and in the normal uncaged position of shaft 16, it holds one face of a double faced spring contact element 32 closed (Fig. 2) upon a contact 33 in a circuit to a green signal lamp 34. The latter when illuminated serves to indicate the uncaged condition of the system. The disc member 31 further holds the opposite side of this contact element 32 free of a contact 35 in a circuit to a red signal lamp 36. The latter, when lit, serves to indicate a caged condition of the system.

Caging and uncaging operations of the system are effected by a D.C. type motor M which is energizable by a double-pole double-throw control switch 37 (Fig. 2). The latter may be located at a point remote from the system. Automatic stopping of the motor after a caging or uncaging operation is controlled by cam switches 38, 39. The latter are respectively operable by cams 40, 41 carried by a drive shaft 42 which is operatively associated by suitable differential gearing 43 to the motor.

Pivoted on drive shaft 42 is a key cam 44 loaded on the shaft by a torsion coil spring 45. An end 46 of the latter engages the underside of the key cam, and the opposite end 47 is contained in a shoulder 48 formed on the drive shaft. The key cam is normally tensioned in a clockwise direction by spring 45, but is limited against pivoting in this direction by a pin 49 projecting from shoulder 48 through an arcuate slot 50 formed in the body of the key cam. This structure prevents stalling of the motor, for it allows winding of coil spring 45 and a continued angular movement of shaft 42 at such times as when movement of the key'cam is retarded by a load placed upon it when it is caused to contact the bellcrank' start switch S8 to be closed, the green lamp 34 will be 7 lit, indicating the system to be in its normal uncaged sysstem. To effect a caging operation, the arms of the control switch 37 are thrown from neutral. position N to contacts A B; This establishes a circuit energizing the motor M from a suitable D.C. source s over line 51,

now closed contact arm A, line .52, normally closed switch 39jto motor M and by return line 53 to source. wher upo dr v shaft 4 1i y kd clo through a on rh l r evolui onr ndcar ic ke cam 44 as Well as. i h cams a wit itn ecy s q h 42 t k y a dti iq rr e p n q a t w a ol e 54 of a secondarm 55' of bellcrank lever 17. This pivots the latter-counterclockwise to effect through hellcrank arm 18 and roller 19 a camming action. against cardioid cam 13., This'camming action creates .a precessional torque of the 'gyroon its pitch axis and a consequent load of the outer gimbal .3. on its roll axis; This load on the roll axis 'is transmitted through the bellcrank lever 17 to the spring loaded key cam 44 to restrain rotation thereof. Due to the torsion spring arrangement 45, the motor does not stall and the drive shaft continues to turn, windingspring 45 as it does so. The precessional torque acting on the gyro develops to progressively effect a gimbal lock of the gyrorelative to its casing and a conse quent relaxing of the torque transmitted to the outer gimbal cam 13. Whereupon, the stored up energy of torsion spring 45 acts to whip the key cam clockwise. This action drives the bellcrank about, whereby the roller 19 thereof actuates cam 13 and the related outer .gimbal 3 to caged position. In this caging Of theouter gimbal, as'roller 19 entersthe well of thecam, it acts ,upon the arm 11' and efiects, in the manner previously described, caging of the gyro on its pitch, axis, and consequent latching of the system in caged position. Counterclockwise rotation of the bellcrank shaft 16 during the caging operation opens the normally closed contact 33 to extinguish the green lamp, and closes contact 35 to light the red lamp 36 indicating .a caged condition, In the caging cycle of shaft 427,.cam 40 closes the normally open switch 38, and cam 41 opens switch 39 at the end of the cycle to stop the motor. The system is now caged as in Fig. 1 and preparedfor a subsequent guncaging operation. t f

To eflect an u'ncage'd condition, the arms of switch 37 are thrown over to contacts C-,-D. This effects energization of relay 2 8, and consequent unlatching of elements 23, 21 and release of the caging elements 7', 18. Release of the latching elements efiects ,throughconsequent turning of the bellcrank shaft 16 opening ofcontacts 35 to extinguish the caged signal red lamp, and closingof contacts 33 to light up the uncaged green signal lamp. The motor M is also energized, when switch 37 is-closed on contacts C--D, by a circuit from'source,

through contact D, now closed contacts 38 to the motor M, and from the latter to source. The motor cycles shaft 42 to effect first a closing of contacts 39, and then opening of contacts 38 to stop the motor. The system is now uncaged as in Fig. 2, as indicated by the illuminated green signal, and is again in condition for subsequent caging operation.

While an embodiment of the invention has. been. illustrated and described in detail, it is to' be" expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can bemade in the design and arrangementot the parts without departing from the spiritand scope' of the invention, as the same will now be understood' by those skilled in the art; and it is our intent, therefore, to claim the invention not only in the form shown and described, but also in all such forms and modifications thereof as may reasonably be construed to be within the spirit of the .inver tion and the scope of the appended laimf Y What is claimed is:

n a yr cag sy e including a gy a g a p axis and trunnions defining a pitch axis and arroll axis, a first eardioid cam, afirst roller cam cooperable with the first cardioid cam to elfect caging of the gyro on the pitch axis, the first cardioid cam having a well engageabl'e'by the first roller cam upon the cardioid cam adjusting the gyro to a caged position on said pitch axis, a second cardioid cam, alever, a second roller cam on one arm of the lever cooperable with thesecond'cardioid cam to effect caging of the gyro on the roll axis, the. s'econd'cardioid cam having a well engageable by the second roller cam upon the second cardioid cam adjusting the gyro to a caged position on said roll axis, means controlling the operation of the first roller cam being operable by the second roller cam upon the latter engaging the well of the :second cardioid cam, motor drive means associated with -a seeond arm .of' the lever for actuating the second roller. camfrom a normal position into the well of the second cardioid cam so asto effect the caging of the gyro on the roll ZiIiS while effecting through'said control means the caging said gyro on the pitch axisby the operation of the firstroller cam on the first cardioid'cam', spring means acting on the lever for restoring the second roller. cam. to the normal position, a shaft to pivotally support the ,lever, a latch arm projecting from the shaft, and releasable latch means engageable by the latch following engagement of the first and second roller cams in the associated cardioid cam, wells during the caging of the gyro on the roll and pitch axes.

Sweden Apr. 29,, 1952 

